CFMoto 650MT vs Kawasaki Versys 650 vs Suzuki V-Strom 650XT: Spec Comparison

  • Apr 5, 2019
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Here’s how the 650MT stacks up against the Versys 650 and the V-Strom 650XT on paper

[UPDATE: CFMoto has made its India debut with the launch of four products: 300NK, 650NK, 650MT & 650GT. Head here for the pricing and other details.]

 If you are looking for a 650cc adventure motorcycle, then you couldn’t have timed it better. Because until a few days back, there were just two motorcycles in this category, the Kawasaki Versys 650 and the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT, in the market. However, there’s a new player from China, the CFMoto 650MT, that looks pretty promising on paper. So can the Chinese finally put up a good fight and challenge the Japanese? Let’s find out.

Powertrain:

 

CFMoto 650MT 

Kawasaki Versys 650

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT

Displacement 

649.3cc

649cc

645CC

Type 

Parallel-twin, liquid-cooled

Parallel-twin, liquid-cooled

V-twin, liquid-cooled

Bore & Stroke

83mm×60mm

83mm×60mm

81mm x 62.6mm

Power

71PS @ 8,750rpm

69PS @ 8,500rpm

71PS at 8,800rpm

Torque

62Nm @ 7,000rpm

64N.m @ 7,000rpm

62.3Nm @ 6,300rpm

Transmission

6-speed

6-speed

6-speed

At a glance, the two engines on the 650MT and the Versys 650 may look similar and as a matter of fact, they are! You see, the CFMoto 650MT's engine is heavily inspired by the Kawasaki’s 650cc unit, so much so that the bore and stroke figures are the same. However, the 650MT puts out a wee bit more power higher up the rev range compared to the Versys 650.

We are yet to test out how the motor on the 650MT behaves, but we do know a lot about the one on the Versys and the V-Strom 650XT.

Dimensions:

 

CFMoto 650MT 

Kawasaki Versys 650

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT

Length

2150mm

2165mm

2275mm

Width

835mm

840mm

910mm

Height

1332mm

1400mm

1405mm

Wheelbase

1415mm

1415mm

1560mm

Seat Height

840mm

840mm

835mm

Ground Clearance

170mm

170mm

170mm

Fuel Tank Capacity

18-litres

21-litres

20-litres

Kerb Weight

213kg

216kg

216kg

In pictures, the 650MT looks visually bigger than both its rivals. However, on paper, it's a totally different story. It is, in fact, the most compact motorcycle of the three. While the trio shares the same ground clearance, the seat height on the V-Strom 650XT is 5mm shorter compared to the other two, which could prove to be quite helpful for riders with shorter frame. In terms of sheer size, the V-Strom 650 leads the charge and it has a fuel tank capacity of 20-litres, which is just a wee bit smaller compared to the Versys 650.

Cycle parts:

 

CFMoto 650MT

Kawasaki Versys 650

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT

Front Suspension

43mm adjustable USD forks

41mm adjustable USD forks 

43mm telescopic 

Rear Suspension

Monoshock with preload and rebound damping adjustments

Monoshock with preload adjustability

Link-type adjustable monoshock at the rear.

Front Tyre

120/70ZR17

120/70ZR17

110/80R19

Rear Tyre

160/60ZR17M

160/60ZR17M

150/70R17

Front Brake

Twin 300mm discs

Twin 300mm discs

Twin 310mm discs

Rear Brake

240mm disc

250mm disc

260mm disc

ABS

Dual-channel

Dual-channel

Dual-channel

In terms of suspension setup, the 650MT and the Versys 650 are similarly kitted out. Both are equipped with an adjustable suspension setup at the front. Riders can tweak the bikes’ suspension according to the terrain or to suit their riding style. The V-Strom 650XT, on the other hand, gets a conventional telescopic fork unit. However, when it comes to braking hardware, it’s the Suzuki with its bigger discs that has something to boast about. Not just that, the V-Strom 650XT is the only motorcycle in this list to get spoke wheels, which are tubeless as well! Whereas, the Versys 650 and the 650MT are road-biased motorcycles with alloys wheels.

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Ex-showroom price:

CFMoto 650MT

Kawasaki Versys 650

Suzuki V-Strom 650XT

4.99 lakh (ex-showroom India)

Rs 6.7 lakh (ex-showroom India)

Rs 7.52 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai)

It’s no news that the Kawasaki Versys 650 is the benchmark in the mid-displacement adventure touring segment. And the V-Strom 650XT has proven to be quite good when it comes to off-roading.

However, CFMoto has just knocked it out of the park with its phenomenal pricing. So has the Chinese with its feature-loaded, affordable price tag finally cracked the code? Well, we will be riding the 650MT soon, so stay tuned for our review where we will try to bring you an answer to that question.

CFMoto 650MT Video Review

CFMoto 650MT
CFMoto 650MT
Rs. 5.29 Lakh
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